Separator for glass articles

ABSTRACT

A plastic-shipping container and separator for an assortment of pieces of glassware of different shapes and sizes. The separator has a conical body for the various ranges of ware sizes. Diagonally spaced support ridges reinforce the body portion of the separator and hold the glassware in spaced relationship to the separator. An annular orifice at the top of the separator permits hot gases entrapped within the conical portion of the glass to escape.

United States Patent Capnano [54] SEPARATOR lFO/R GLASS ARTICLES [72]Inventor: Charles 1-11. Capuano, Toledo, Ohio [73] Assignee:Owens-Illinois, Inc.

[22] Filed: Oct. 6, 1969 [21] Appl. No.: 864,114

[52] U.S. Cl. ..206/65 1K, 206/46 FC, 206/46 FR, 217/265, 220/97 C [51]Int. Cl. ..B65d 71/00, 865d 85/00, B65d 21/00 [58] Field of Search..206/46 FC, 46 FR, 65 K, 65 R; 217/265; 220/21 A, 2.3 A, 97 B, 97 C, 97D, DIG. 13; 229/14 C [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS1,971,075 8/1934 Lockwood ..206/65 K UX 3,009,603 11/1961 Stockdale..220/97 C 3,074,582 1/1963 Martelli et al. ..2l7/26.5 3,139,207 6/1964Fredholm l ..220/97 C X 3,232,512 2/1966 Wanderer ..220/97 C X 3,265,2818/1966 Hohnjec ..217/26.5 X 3,530,979 9/1970 Merrill, Jr. et al...206/46 R Primary Examiner-Joseph R. Leclair Assistant Examiner-StevenE. Lipman Attorney-D. R. Brichall and E. J. Holler [57] ABSTRACT Aplastic-shipping container and separator for an assortment of pieces ofglassware of different shapes and sizes. The separator has a conicalbody for the various ranges of ware sizes. Diagonally spaced supportridges reinforce the body portion of the separator and hold theglassware in spaced relationship to the separator. An annular orifice atthe top of the separator permits hot gases entrapped within the conicalportion of the glass to escape.

5 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTED JAI25 i972 SHEET 10F 3 PATENTEDJANZSIHTZ SHEET 3 [IF 3 INVENTOR. CHARLQS Hr SIEPAIIATOII IFGIP. GLASSAR'llllClLlEfi THE INVENTION This invention relates to a support forholding fragile objects of generally funnel shape and, moreparticularly, to a reuseable packaging stacker and separator for fragilearticles such as large television bulb funnels.

In the manufacture and shipping of television bulb funnels, it isnecessary to subject the funnels to various handling operations in thecourse of which breakage may occur. Because television funnels arefabricated with a relatively large domeshaped body portion whichterminates in a relatively long tubular neck portion, it is especiallydifficult to stack and hold a plurality of these funnels so that theymay be efficiently stored and transported without danger of being brokenor scratched.

Prior to this invention, in order to store or transport television bulbfunnels in stacked arrangement without causing glass to glass contact,it was necessary to place several corrugated separators between eachfunnel. The use of these corrugated separators resulted in manydisadvantages which ultimately prompted this invention. Thosedisadvantages included: failing to generally conform to the shape of thebulb funnel in which it was placed; allowing the edges of stackedfunnels to slip over the wall of the corrugated separator therebycausing glass to glass contact when a large downward force was exertedon the bottommost separators in a stack of funnels from the funnels onthe top portion of the stack; rupturing of the corrugated separator atits apex when the separator was sandwiched between two bulb funnels in alarge stack and the nubbin portion of the lower funnel broke through theapex of the separator; rupturing of the corrugated separator at the tapejoint when it was subjected to high humidity or dampness; deterioratingwhen exposed to dampness; cutting through the wall portion of thecorrugated separator by the edge of the upper funnels when the funnelswere stored in a large stack; requiring prior assembly of the corrugatedseparator at the glass plant; failing to absorb shocks and jars to thefunnel during transportation; requiring more space over preformedplastic separators to pack a given number of funnels; and requiring adifferent shaped corrugated separator for each funnel.

The present invention is directed to a novel and improved shipping andstacking separator made of plastic and containing a plurality ofshock-absorbing ribs to overcome the foregoing disadvantages.

The use of the plastic separator of the type disclosed in this inventionalso solved another problem in shipping and packaging. During themanufacture of television bulb funnels and immediately prior to thepacking of the funnels in large stacks, the hollow nubbin area or neckarea of the funnel is completely sealed. In the case of funnels forblack and white television bulbs, in order to create an opening at thetop of the nubbin area to receive an electron gun assembly, the nubbinof the funnel is subjected to a jet of hot gases to burn off the topportion or ring at the end of the nubbin. Immediately after these ringsare burned off, the funnels are placed in large cartons for stacking.Consequently, the tops of the nubbin are still quite hot. If the packerwere then to apply a corrugated separator over the funnel, the hot gasesremaining within the bulb would be entrapped therein and would causereheating of the top of the nubbin area, resulting in the removal of asecond ring of glass. This action is referred to in the art as ring-off.To overcome this problem, an annular opening was placed in the top partof the separator to allow for the escape of hot gases rom the interiorof the bulb funnel.

Therefore, it is a principal object of this invention to provide aplastic separator with an opening at the top thereof which will allowhot gases to escape from the bulb funnel over which it is placed.

It is another principal object of this invention to provide a plasticseparator containing a plurality of support and shock absorbing ribs forshipping and storing television bulb funnels.

Another object of this invention is to provide a plastic separator whichcan be used with a wide variety of shapes and sizes of television bulbfunnels.

Another object of this invention is to provide a plastic support fortelevision bulb funnels which generally conform to the interiorcurvature of the funnel.

Another object of this invention is to provide a shipping containerwhich is durable enough to withstand the sharp cutting edges of atelevision bulb funnel and yet is not so hard as to scratch or mar thesurface of the funnel.

Another object of this invention is to provide a shipping container fortelevision bulb funnels which will have a longer, useful life than asimilar corrugated container.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the specific embodiments of theplastic separator.

IN THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a perspective view of the outside of theplastic separator.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the outside of the plastic separator.

FIG. 3 is a vertical section view depicting the functional aspects ofthe invention when a television bulb funnel is positioned between and instacked array with the separators, the sectional view through thestacked array corresponding in location and viewing direction to sectionplane A-A' in FIG. 2.

When packing fragile objects such as television bulb funnels forshipment from the manufacturer to the distributor or user, it is theusual practice to pack such articles in units of 12 or thereabouts,depending upon the type of funnel, arranged in a plurality of rows invertically spaced layers within a rectangular box or crate. Intermediatethe separate rows of funnels are normally interposed support-protectonsformed of a cushion ing material. The instant invention is devoted toproviding an improved stacker which can be used to pack any number ofrows of such fragile objects in the supporting crate or box.

The principal parts of the improved stacker include a frustoconical wallsection; a funnel-shaped body portion; a truncated conical throatsection, and a flat base section.

In the structure shown in the drawings, FIGS. 1 and 2 indicate asupport-separator 10 of the type of this invention formed of a moldedplastic material having a thickness of 0.010 to 0.10 inch. It comprisesa flanged, relatively stiff, flat base 11 of generally rectangularoutline. This base serves to prevent glass to glass contact when thefunnels are stacked intermediate the separators and extends outwardlyfrom conical wall section 12 a distance at least equal to the thicknessof the glass funnel which is stored thereon. Extending up from the baseIll and formed integral therewith is a frustoconical wall section I2which intersects base III in a line which, along the long axis side ofthe rectangular base, has a radius of curvature generally equal to theradius of curvature of the long axis side of the bulb funnel to bestored. The radius of curvature of line formed at the intersection ofwall section 12 and base 11 is generally equal to the radius ofcurvature of the short axis side of the bulb funnel to be stored. Wallsection 12 is angularly disposed with respect to base Ill so that theexterior of the bulb funnel to be stored generally coincides with theinterior of wall section 112. Therefore, wall section I2 could intersectthe plane of the base II at an interior angle which is greater than 0and less than The central axis of wall section 12 is perpendicular tothe plane formed by base Ill and intersects the plane at a point wherethe diagonal. axis of the base intersects.

Conical wall section ll2 extends generally upwardly and intersects thefunnel-shaped body portion 113 of the separator, which is formedintegrally with conical wall section 12, at line 18. The interior anglebetween body portion 13 and the plane formed by the intersection of wallsection 112 and body portion 13 must be greater than 0 and less than 90.In some instances, body portion 13 will correspond to the extension ofconical wall section I2, thus eliminating intersection line 18.

In all cases, body portion 13 is designed to coincide with :the surfaceof the television bulb funnel stored thereon and the central axis ofbody portion 13 is designed to coincide with the central axis of wallsection 12.

The funnel-shaped body portion 13 extends generally upwardly tointersect the truncated conical throat section 14 along line 19. Thissection of the separator generally corresponds to the geometry of thenubbin area 35 of a television bulb funnel 30 which is placed thereon asshown in FIG. 3. The top portion of throat section 14 is plane 22 whichis parallel to base 11 and contains a central flange 21 and an annularopening 20. The central axis of throat section 14 coincides with thecentral axis of wall section 12. The bottom portion of throat section 14is a plane parallel to base 11 and intersects body portion 13. Opening20 serves the purpose of allowing hot gases from the interior of thefunnel to escape when plastic separator is placed over a funnel. In FIG.3, throat section 14 is also of such length and tapered in such a mannerthat when a bulb funnel 30 is placed between two separators 10 and 40,the top plane 33 of nubbin area 35 of bulb funnel 30 does not contactflange 21 of upper separator 10, but rather comes to rest on a planebelow that of flange 21.

The preferred embodiment of the plastic separator also includes aplurality of external support ribs 24 and internal support channels orribs 25 and spacing grooves or ribs 26.

For example, conical wall section 12 contains external support ribs 24oriented on the diagonal axis sides or corner wall portions of wallsection 12. These spacing ribs extend radially outwardly from the wallsection 12 and are generally arcshaped to coincide with the surface ofthe inside of a bulb funnel. They intersect flanged base section 11along line 17 and may extend above or below line 18. When a plurality ofseparators are mounted one on top of another in a stack, as shown inFIG. 3, with a bulb funnel 30 between each separator, ribs 24 serve bothto reinforce conical wall section 12 and to hold the bulb funnel placedthereon in spaced relationship with the wall section, thereby providingsome means to absorb shock and jars during transit. Although thepreferred embodiment shows the ribs 24 located on the diagonal axissides or comer wall portions of the separator wall section 12, it ispossible to place ribs anywhere on wall section 12.

Support ribs 24 also contain therein ledge 28 which is used to hold theedge of a smaller diameter bulb funnel, particularly a 19-inch bulb,which does not contact base 1 1.

channels 25 are located between spacing ribs 24 and serve to reinforcewall section 12. These channels can be of any size and spacing so longas they keep wall section 12 from buckling under the pressure of a largestack of bulb funnels. In this-embodiment, support channels 25 ofseparator 10 are shown in FIG. 3 as extending radially inwardly tocontact the outer surface of bulb funnel 30.

The short axis sides of the wall section 12 also contain a notch 27adjacent the line 17 of juncture of the wall section 12 with the base11. When a large number of funnels were stacked one on top of another,the edge of the top television bulb funnel will slide down the wallsection 12 and over the flange portion of the base 11 and scratch thesurface of the funnel below. By placing notch 27 in this position on theshort side axis the notch will accommodate outward deflection of thebase 11 so that bulb funnel 30, when subjected to the weight of a largestack of funnels, will deflect the flanged base section 11 outward. Thiseliminates glass to glass contact along the edge of the funnel.

In FIG. 3, a number of inwardly extending spacing grooves 26 are placedin throat section 14 of separator 10. These grooves are of such a depthto prevent the top plane 33 of the nubbin 35 of bulb funnel 30, placedunder separator 10, from contacting annular flange 21. In this manner,only the exterior wall of the nubbin area 35 of glass bulb funnel 30touches the interior of throat section 14 of separator 10.

FIG. 3 shows a bulb funnel 30 placed between an upper separator 10 and alower separator 40 in stacked arrangement. The interior of the nubbinarea 35 of bulb funnel 30 contacts the exterior of throat section 14 ofseparator 40 while the remainder of the interior of funnel 30 contactsbody section 13 and spacing ribs 24 of separator 40. At the same time,the exterior of sandwiched bulb funnel 30 contacts the interior surfaceof separator 10 at spacing grooves 26, at support channels 25, and atwall section 12.

The top plane 33 of the nubbin area 35 of bulb funnel 30 does notcontact flange 21. The exterior surface of nubbin area 35 of funnel 30is securely engaged by grooves 26 thereby maintaining the top plane 33of the nubbin 35 of funnel 30 in spaced relation to flange 21.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that this'inventionprovides a rigid shock resistant separator which is especially designedto receive and hold television bulb funnels of various shapes in aprotected position when the bulbs are transported or stored in stackedarrangement.

Because many widely different embodiments of this invention may be madewithout departing from the spirit and scope hereof, it is understoodthat the invention is not limited to the specific embodiments hereofexcept as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

I. A plastic separator for stacking fragile articles which comprises:

a generally rectangular base;

a generally frustoconical wall section intersecting said base,

said wall section defining an interior cavity having a central axisdisposed perpendicular to the plane of said base;

means on said frustoconical wall section in the form of armately shapedsupport ribs, said support ribs each extending radially outwardly fromsaid wall section and having a top portion and a bottom portion widerthan said top portion and intersecting said rectangular base, whereby tosupport an article to be placed thereon in spaced relationship to saidwall section;

a truncated conical throat section having a top and bottom section and acentral axis coinciding with the central mis of said wall section, saidtop section defining a central opening therein and said bottom sectionbeing integrally connected to said wall section at a location remotefrom said base; and

means on said throat section extending radially inwardly therefrom forholding the top of the article to be stacked thereover in spacedrelationship to the top section thereof.

2. The plastic separator as claimed in claim 1, wherein said means ofsaid throat section forms a radially inwardly extending flange definingan annular opening therein.

3. The plastic separator as claimed in claim 1, wherein said supportribs are diagonally spaced on said wall section to hold the articles tobe stacked.

4. The plastic separator as claimed in claim 1, wherein said wallsection contains a plurality of inwardly extending reinforcing ribsspaced between said support ribs for contacting the exterior surface ofa fragile article when the articles are arranged in stacked position.

5. In combination, a plastic separator comprising:

a generally rectangular base;

a generally frustoconical wall section defining a hollow interior andmerging into said base and defining a central axis perpendicular to saidbase;

a plurality of peripherally spaced support ribs protruding outwardlyfrom said wall section;

a truncated conical throat section axially concentric with said wallsection and having a bottom portion merging integrally with said wallsection and having a top section projecting axially outward from saidwall section and defining a central opening therein communicating withthe hollow interior of said wall section;

and a fragile television bulb funnel snugly nested over said plasticseparator and gravitationally supported upon said support ribs in spacedrelationship to said wall section and in substantially concentricrelationship therewith.-

I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFIQATE OF CORECNON Patent N 3.637,073 Dated Januarv 25. 1972' Invent fls) CHARLES H. CAPUANO It iscertified that error appears in the above-identified patent and thatsaid Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Cover Page, 2nd Col, after "Attorney" "D.R. Brichall" should be --D.R.Birchall--. Col. 3, lines ll and 12,

after "contains" delete "a central flange 21 and an an-- nular opening20" Col. 3, lines 11 and 12, after "contains" insert -an annular flange21 and a central opening 20-; Col. 3, line 46, before "Channels" insert-Support--; Col. 3, line 46, "Channels" should be --channels---; Col. 3,line 59, "flange" should be --flanged- Col. 4, line 49, "of" should be-on--.

Signed and sealed this 8th day of May 1973.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD T LFLETCHEBQR. ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Attesting Officer Commissionerof Patents FORM Po-105o (10-69) uscoMM-oc eosve-pes U.. GOVERNMENTPRINTING OFFICE: I959 Q $55'334,

2. The plastic separator as claimed in claim 1, wherein said means ofsaid throat section forms a radially inwardly extending flange definingan annular opening therein.
 3. The plastic separator as claimed in claim1, wherein said support ribs are diagonally spaced on said wall sectionto hold the articles to be stacked.
 4. The plastic separator as claimedin claim 1, wherein said wall section contains a plurality of inwardlyextending reinforcing ribs spaced between said support ribs forcontacting the exterior surface of a fragile article when the articlesare arranged in stacked position.
 5. In combination, a plastic separatorcomprising: a generally rectangular base; a generally frustoconical wallsection defining a hollow interior and merging into said base anddefining a central axis perpendicular to said base; a plurality ofperipherally spaced support ribs protruding outwardly from said wallsection; a truncated conical throat section axially concentric with saidwall section and having a bottom portion merging integrally with saidwall section and having a top section projecting axially outward fromsaid wall section and defining a central opening therein communicatingwith the hollow interior of said wall section; and a fragile televisionbulb funnel snugly nested over said plastic separator andgravitationally supported upon said support ribs in spaced relationshipto said wall section and in substantially concentric relationshiptherewith.